Strange cases is an occasional feature on the Quack Doctor that reproduces these tales. Today we meet a morbid Parisian who ended up spiting his face.

Model of Guillotine Severs Owner’s Nose

A citizen of Paris, a pensioner, boasts that he has witnessed 37 executions, and now that he is getting old, being unable to follow M. de Paris, the idea of the guillotine has so obsessed him that he has made a model on a small scale, which he has used for cutting cigar ends. Recently he had friends to lunch and after the repast the model was produced. For some reason the knife refused to act. The host, feeling that his reputation was at stake, set about to discern the cause. Examining the machine very closely his nose got into the lunette. Probably the machine was shaken. At all events the blade fell, and with it the tip of the morbid gentleman’s nose. His first care was to visit the surgeon and after the injury had been attended to he went home, broke up and burned ‘la Veuve’.

For centuries, people have sought new ways of overcoming illness and pain. Numerous practitioners - some more reputable and competent than others - have responded with treatments and advice. The Quack Doctor focuses on those around the fringes of the medical profession - the patent remedy vendors, entrepreneurs and even downright fraudsters who have always made the most of people's desire to be well.
Disclaimer: This is a website offering information about the history of medicine. We cannot provide medical advice. Please consult a doctor if you are concerned about your symptoms.